Downtown Columbus Circulation Study

Currently, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is conducting a Major Investment Study (MIS) on the I-70/I-71 portion of the innerbelt freeway circling downtown (Innerbelt MIS). Part of the Innerbelt MIS will consider changes to the freeway ramps which access downtown as well as larger capacity issues. The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is studying the accommodation in downtown of an expanded transit system that includes Light Rail Transit (LRT).

At the same time, the City of Columbus is examining, through the coordination of downtown area plans, changes to the downtown street system as part of its efforts to increase the livability of the downtown environment. As a result, there is a need to coordinate the MIS and COTA’s LRT with the downtown plans and activities of the City of Columbus.

The study, sponsored by the City of Columbus and the Ohio Department of Transportation, has been undertaken by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission to assist Columbus on various issues to make the downtown more livable and friendly to pedestrians and downtown residents while providing appropriate mobility and safety.